Observational studies have long linked diets high in fish, such as a Mediterranean diet, to increased cognitive health and decreased risk of Parkinson’s, but the reason for this link has remained unclear. Many had assumed the link was due to Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids found in fish, but a new study from Chalmers University of Technology is pointing to another source for this link. The research results, published in Scientific Reports, suggest parvalbumin, a protein commonly found in several fish species, may be contributing to fish’s neuroprotective effects against Parkinson’s.
According to the study, parvalbumin can form amyloid structures that bind together with alpha-synuclein protein. This ties up the alpha-synuclein proteins, thus preventing them from forming into their own potentially harmful amyloids later on.
Fish species with high levels of parvalbumin protein include herring, cod, carp, and redfish, which includes sockeye salmon and red snapper, but it is found in many other fish species too. The researchers note that time of year also greatly effects the levels present.
"Fish is normally a lot more nutritious at the end of the summer, because of increased metabolic activity. Levels of parvalbumin are much higher in fish after they have had a lot of sun, so it could be worthwhile increasing consumption during autumn," says Nathalie Scheers, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, and researcher on the study.
The team hopes to do more research on the role of parvalbumin in fish and see if its protective effects extend to other neurodegenerative diseases associated with amyloid structures, such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s.
Image: The link between higher consumption of fish and better long-term health for the brain has been long established. Now, new research from Chalmers shows that the protein parvalbumin may be a contributing factor. Image courtesy of: Johan Bodell/Chalmers University of Technology.